Camping shower

Mike....

We bought the Colman version with the gas bottle adaptor.

While it is a little more expensive the smaller all in one package is good for one day trips. Also found it heats very well.

Regards
Kim & Peter (VK2US)


Gallery: http://images.vk2us.id.au/

Hi Kim and Peter

I've heard they are pretty good but as all my camping is in remote spots I always have a fire and heat water in a steel bucket over the fire but I thought I would pass the price on to the OP.

Good to see another Amateur on the forum - there are quite a few (15 or 20 at a guess) seems to be a decent proportion of people into ham radio are also into bush stuff.

Mike Harding

Its the Coleman thats on special at KMart. They also stock a Gasmate copy.

The Coleman is self contained, the Gasmate needs and external cylinder and battery

Mike...

I agree there does seem to be a lot of amateurs with 4WDs. Not sure if this is because on the whole we fall into a higher socio economic group or that we just like getting away from the noise of the city. I recall the first time I took a Yaesu FT-707 out of the city and fired it up. 80 meters was so quiet I thought that I'd damaged the radio in transit. It was only when I got a response to a call from Napier (New Zealand) that I realised that it was the noise that was gone not the radio. Given that I live in a house full of x-boxes, PCs and assorted noise generators most of my HF work is done portable with an IC706-MKIIG.

Based on the amount of interest shown by others who have travelled with us or been at the same location when we've operated we are planning to some "F" call classes aimed at 4WD and other outdoor types. We're even looking at doing some of these courses in a portable scenario.

By the way for others reading this we are not looking to replace the existing networks but add to the travel experience. Wouldn't it be nice to use a cheaper radio that you can actually talk home on, or even further a field like the rest of the world?

Regards
Kim & Peter (VK2US)


Gallery: http://images.vk2us.id.au/

Couldn't agree more about city noise on 80m! At home (and my house has a lot of open land on 2 sides) I get S8+ noise on 80m - in the bush it's S0! Like you, first time I switched 80m on I thought the set was broken :)

I use a Yaesu FT857D in the bush, like your Icom a great "all in radio" for that application. My antenna consists of an inverted vee cut for 80m and tuned with a MFJ902H for other bands. This setup works very well.

The Foundation Licence

http://www.wia.org.au/foundation/foundation%20licence%20information-v1.pdf

has been a terrific encouragement to bring people into the hobby and would be ideal for many 4WDers - we have had a few people from this forum obtain an F call and also some who have progressed to Standard and Advanced too.

Mike Harding

Mike....

For portable stuff I use an AH-4 tuner to a random wire. That way I know I will always have trees that are the correct distance apart ;-)

Regards
Kim & Peter (VK2US)


Gallery: http://images.vk2us.id.au/

I'm not familiar with that tuner. What do you do about an earth when you're using a random wire?

Bang a metal rod into the ground.....

Photo

One of those giant corkscrew like things you can buy to tether dogs to works very well too - lots of surface area - and is easy to remove. I looked up the tuner - looks very nice.

Do you push the controller in & turn it past the stop?

That will give you much hotter water than in the normal settings range, I think it bypasses the over temp sensor.

It is OK for black tea or coffee, but not hot enough if you add milk.

Yes I do. There is no way I would say it is hot enough for black tea. I had black coffee and thought it too cold. It is supposed to be 71C when it is at max temp, and I guess it may be, but by the time it makes it to your cup from the spout, I find it too cold.

David

I was not under the impression that these things were designed to make tea / coffee but to simply provide heated water for showers and washing. Something ours does very well.

Regards
Kim & Peter (VK2US)


Gallery: http://images.vk2us.id.au/

You do have to push that knob in and hold it in right the way round and not let go. I don't use it for that and agree may not be q

I don't use mine for tea/coffee as I agree probably too cold even with holding the knob in past the end stop.

May be hot enough for some. Find the old fashioned duel fuel stove and kettle the go for a tea. Some things these days are still meant to take some time hey.

For showering in the bush instant hot water great no complaints from me there.

The marketing and the photos on the box sell it as a beverage water provide as well as a shower, as does the instruction manual. BCF told me it was a good beverage maker, but be sure to run CLR thru it first.

NO problem with it taking time. I used to use those fast boil billies and that's what I will go back to. But for 14 or more people, the kettle and the stove is a pain. I thought this would be better